with a severe interdiction of the use of any other Prayers in those Administrations Bellarmine de Pont. Rom. lib. 4. cap. 16. argues for the necessity of the Observation of Rites indifferent when once commanded by the Church from the necessity of the Observation of Baptism in its self a thing indifferent after it was commanded by Christ. Some think this is not to Dispute but Blaspheme Nor is the Inference before mentioned of any other Complexion When it shall be made to appear that whatever it was lawful for the Lord Christ to do and to prescribe to his Church and Disciples in reference to the Worship of God the same or any thing of the like nature it is lawful for men to do under the pretence of their being invested with the Authority of the Church or any else whatever then some colour will be given to this Argument which being raised on the tottering suppositions before mentioned ends in that which seems to deserve an harder name then at present we shall affix unto it And this is the stare and condition wherein the Disciples of Christ were left by himself without the least intimation of any other impositions in the Worship of God to be laid upon them Not in any thing or by any act of his did he intimate the necessity or lawful use of any such Liturgies as these which we are enquiring after or prescribed and limitted Forms of Prayers or Praises to be used or read in the publick administration of Evangelical Institutions but indeed made provision rendring all such prescriptions useless and because they cannot be made use of but by rejection of the Provision by himself made unlawful CHAP. IV. Of the Worship of God by the Apostles No Liturgies used by them nor in the Churches of their plantation Argument from their practice Reasons pleaded for the use of Liturgies Disabilities of Church Officers for Gospel Administration to the edification of the Church Uniformity in the Worship of God The practice of the Apostles as to these pretences considered Of other Impositions The Rule given by the Apostles Of the Liturgies fulsly ascribed unto some of them OUr next enquiry is after the practise of the Apostles the best interpretation of the mind of the Lord Jesus Christ as to the Agenda of the Church or what he would have done therein in the Worship of God and how That one end of their being furnished with the Spirit of Christ was the right and due administration of his Ordinances in his Church to the edification of his Disciples I suppose will not be denied By vertue of his assistance and the gifts from him received they discharged this part of their duty accordingly That they used any Liturgies in the Church Worship wherein they went at any time before the Disciples cannot with any colour of proof be pretended The Scripture gives us an account of many of their Prayers of none that were a Repetition of a Form If any such were used by them how came the memory of them utterly to perish off the Earth Some indeed of the Ancients say that they used the Lords Prayer in the Consecration of the Eucharist which by others is denied being in its self improbable and the Testimonies weak that are produced in behalf of its Assertion But as hath been shewed the use of that Prayer no way concerns the present Question There are no more Christs but one to us there is one Lord Jesus Christ. For him who hath affirmed that it is likely they used Forms of Prayer and Homilies composed for them by Saint Peter I suppose he must fetch his Evidence out of the same Authors that he used who affirmed that Jesus Christ himself went up and down singing Mass. The practice then of the Apostles is not as far as I know by any sober and learned Persons controverted in this matter They administred the holy things of the Gospel by vertue of the holy Gifts they had received But they were Apostles The enquiry is what Directions and Commands they gave unto the Bishops or Pastors of the Churches which they planted that they might know how to behave themselves in the House and VVorship of God VVhatever they might do in the discharge of their duty by vertue of their extraordinary Gifts yet the case might be much otherwise with them who were intrusted with ordinary Ministerial Gifts onely But we do not find that they made any distinction in this matter between themselves and others For as the Care of all the Churches was on them the duties whereof they were to discharge by vertue of the Gifts they had received according to their Commission impowering them thereunto so to the Bishops of particular Churches they gave charge to attend unto the administration of the holy things in them by vertue of the Gifts they had received to that purpose according to the limits of their Commission And upon a supposition that the Apostles were enabled to discharge all Gospel Administrations to the edification of the Church by vertue of the Gifts they had received which those who were to come after them in the performance of the same Duties should not be enabled unto it cannot be imagined but that they would have provided a supply for that want and defect themselves and not have left the Church halt and maimed to the Cure of those men whose weakness and unfitness for the Duty was its Disease So then neither did the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ use any Liturgies in the sence spoken of in their administration of the Worship Instituted by him in his Church nor did they Prescribe or Command any such to the Churches or their Officers that were planted in them nor by any thing intimate the usefulness of any such Liturgy or Form of publick Worship as after Ages found out and used Thus far then is the Liberty given by Christ unto his Church preserved intire and the Request seems not immodest that is made for the Continuance of it When men cry to God for the Liberty in his Worship which was left unto them by Christ and his Apostles he will undoubtedly hear though their Fellow servants should be deaf to the like Requests made unto them And truly they must have a great Confidence in their own Wisdome and Sufficienty who will undertake to Appoint and Impose on others the Observation of things in the Worship of God which neither our Lord Jesus nor his Apostles did appoint or impose Two things are principally pretended as Grounds of the Imposition of publick Liturgies First The disability of the present Ministers of the Churches to Celebrate and administer the Ordinances of the Gospel to the honour of God and Edification of the Church without the use of them Secondly The great importance of Uniâ—ormity in the Worship of God not possibly to be attained but by vertue of this expedient I desire to know whether these Arguments did occur the consideration of the Apostles or no If they
shall say they did I desire to know why they did not make upon them the Provision now judged necessary and whether those that so do do not therein preferre their wisdome and care for the Churches of God unto the wisdome and care of the Apostles If it shall be said that the Bishops or Pastors of the Churches in their dayes had abilities for the discharge of the whole work of the Ministry without this relief so that the Apostles had no need to make any such supply I desire to know from whom they had these abilities If it be said that they had them from Jesus Christ I then shall yet also further ask whether ordinary Bishops or Pastors had any other Gifts from Jesus Christ but what he promised to bestow on ordinary Bishops and Pastors of his Churches it seems to me that he bestowed no more upon them then he promised to bestow viz. Gifts for the Work of the Ministry with an especial regard to that outward condition of his Churches whereunto by his providence they were disposed It will then in the next place be enquired whether the Lord Jesus Christ promised to give any other Gifts to the ordinary Bishops and Pastors of the Churches in those dayes then he promised to all such Officers in his Church to the end of the World If this appear to be the state of things that the Promise by vertue whereof they received those gifts and abilities for the disdarge of their duty which rendred the Prescription of Liturgies needless as to the first Ground of them pretended did and do equally respect all that succeed in the same Office and Duty according to the mind and will of Christ unto the end of the World is not the pretended necessity derogatory to the glory of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ as plainly intimating that he doth not continue to fulfil his Promise or at least a full declaration of mens unbelief that they do not nor will depend upon him for the accomplishment of the same Thus the first pretended Ground of the necessary use of such Liturgies as we speak of endeth in a reflection upon the honour of our Lord Jesus or a Publication of their own Unbelief and Apostacy The Second is like the former It will not I suppose be denied but that the Apostles took care for the Unity of the Churches and for that Uniformity in the Worship of God which is acceptable unto him Evidence lyes so full unto it in their Writings that it cannot be denied Great weight every where they lay upon this duty of the Churches and propose unto them the wayes whereby it may be done with multiplied Commands and Exhortations to attend unto them Whence is it then that they never once intimate any thing of that which is now pressed as the onely medium for the attaining of that end It cannot but seem strange to some that this should be the onely expedient for that Uniformity which is acceptable unto God and yet not once come into the thoughts of any of the Apostles of Christ so as to be commended unto the Churches for that purpose Considering the many Treacheries that are in the hearts of men and the powerfull workings of unbelief under the most solemn outward Professions I fear it will appear at the last day that the true rise of most of the Impositions on the Consciences of men which on various pretences are practised in the World is from the secret thoughts that either Christ doth not take that Care of his Churches nor make that supply unto them of spiritual abilities for the work of the Ministry which he did in the days of old or that men are now grown wiser then the Apostles and those who succeeded them in the administration of the things of God and so are able to make better provision for attaining the end they professedly aimed at then they knew how to do The Heathen I confess thought Forms of Prayer to a means of preserving an uniformity in their Religious Worship Hence they had a solemn Form for every publick action yea for those Orations which the Magistrates had unto the People So Levius informs us that when Sp. Posthumius the Consul was to speak unto the People about the wickednesses that were perpetrated by many under the pretence of some Bacchanalian superstition he gave them an account of the usefulness of the Solenne precationis carmen which he had recited to keep out and prevent such differences about their Religion as were then fallen out lib 39. Concione advocat a cum Solenne precationis carmen quod praefari priusquam populum alloquantur Magistratus solent peregisset Consul it a caepit Nulli unquam concioni Quirites tam non solum apta sed etiam necessaria haec solennis Deorum comprecatio fuit quae nos admoneret hos esse Deos quos colerevenerari precarique Majores vestri instituissent non illos c. But I hope we shall not preferre their Example and Wisdome before that of our Lord Christ and his Apostles Were prejudices removed and self-interests laid out of the way a man would think there were nor much more necessity for the determination of this difference Christ and his Apostles with the Apostolical Churches knew no such Liturgies At least it seems as was said not an unreasonable request to ask humbly and peaceably at the hands of any of the sons of men that they would be pleased to allow unto Ministers of the Gospel that are sound in the Faith and known so to be who will willingly submit the tryal of their Ministerial abilities to the Judgement of any who are taught of God and enabled to discern of them aright that Liberty in the Worship of God which was confessedly left unto them by Christ and his Apostles But the state of things is altered in the World At a Convention of the Apostles and others wherein the holy Ghost did peculiarly preside when the Question about Impositions was agitated it was concluded that nothing should be imposed on the Disciples but what was necessary for them to observe antecedently to any Impositions Acts 15. 28. necessary though not in their own nature yet in the posture of things in the Churches necessary to the avoidance of scandal whereby the observation of that injunction was to be regulated Nor was there among the things called necessary the Imposition of any one thing positively to be practised by any of the Disciples in the Worship of God but onely an abridgement of their Liberty in some few external things to which it did really extend But that Spirit of Wisdome Moderation and Tenderness whereby they were guided being rejected by men they began to think that they might multiply Impositions as to the positive practice of the Disciples of Christ in the VVorship of God at their pleasure so that they could pretend that they were indifferent in themselves before the Imposition of them which gives as they say a necessity to their
Observations which proceeding must be left to the Judgement-seat of Jesus Christ Matth. 25. 45. It is not worth our stay to consider what is pretended concerning the antiquity of Liturgies from some yet extant that bear the Names of some of the Apostles or Evangelists There is one that is called by the Name of James printed in Greek and Latine another ascribed unto Peter published by Lindanus one also to Matthew called the Aeohtopick another to Mark which are in the Bible P. P. And pains have been taken by Santesius Pamelius and others to prove them genuine but so much in vain as certainly nothing could be more Nor doth Baronius in their lives dare ascribe any such thing unto them We need not any longer stay to remove this Rubbish out of our way They must be strangers to the Spirit Doctrine and Writings of the Apostles who can impose such Trash upon them as these Liturgies are stuffed withall The common use of words in them not known in the Ages of the Apostles nor of some of them ensuing The parts in them whose Contrivers and Framers are known to have lived many Ages after The mentioning of such things in them as were not once dreamed of in the dayes whereunto they pretend The remembrance of them in them as long before them deceased who are suggested to be their Authours The preferring of other Liturgies before them when once Liturgies came in use with a neglect of them which the utter silence of the first Christian Writers Stories Councels concerning them do abundantly manifest that they are plainly Suppositions of a very late Fraud and Invention Yea we have testimonies clear enough against this pretence In Gregor lib. 7. Epist. 63. Alcuinus Amatorius Rabanus lib. P. P. tom 10. with whom consent Walafridus Strabo Rupertus Titiensis Berno Radulphus Tangrensis and generally all that have written any thing about Liturgies in former days many of whom shew how when and by whom the several parts of that Publick Form which at length signally prevailed were invented and brought into use CHAP. V. The practice of the Churches in the first three Centuries as to Forms of Publick Worship No set Forms of Liturgies used by them The Silence of the first Writers concerning them Some Testimonies against them IT is not about stinted Forms of Prayer in the Worship and Service of God by those who of their own accord do make use of that kind of Assistance judging that course to be better then any thing they can do themselves in the discharge of the work of the Ministry but of the Imposition of Forms on others who desire to stand fast in the Liberty with which Christ hath made them Free that we enquire This Freedome we have manifested to have been purchased for them by the Lord Jesus and the use of it continued by the Apostles in their own practice and to the Churches planted by themselves And this will one day appear to have been a sufficient Plea for the maintenance of that Liberty to the end of the world Now though what is purely matter of Fact among the succeeding Churches be not so far Argumentative as to be insisted on as a Rule exactly binding us to the imitation of it yet it is deservedly worthy of great Consideration and not hastily to be rejected unless it be discovered to have been diverse from the Word whereunto we are bound in all things to attend We shall therefore make some enquiry into the practice of those Churches as to this matter of prescribing of Forms of Prayer in publick Church Administrations so farre as any thing thereof is by good Antiquity transmitted unto us Our first Enquiry shall be into the three first Centuries wherein confessedly the streams of Gospel Institutions did run most clear and pure from humane mixtures then in those following although few of the Teachers that were of Note do escape from Animadversions from those that have come after them It cannot be denied but that for the most part the Churches and their Guides within the space of the time limitted walked in the paths marked out for them by the Apostles and made conspicuous by the Footsteps of the first Churches planted by them It doth not then appear for ought as I can yet discover that there was any attempt to Invent Frame and Compose any Liturgies or prescribed Forms of administring the Ordinances of the Gospel exclusive to the discharge of that duty by vertue of spiritual Gifts received from Jesus Christ much less for an Imposition of any such Forms on the Consciences and Practice of all the Ministers of the Churches within the time mentioned If any be contrary minded it is incumbent on them to evince their Assertion by some instances of unquestionable Truth As yet that I know of this is not performed by any Buronius ad An Christi 58. num 102 103 104 c. treating expresly of the publick Prayers of the Ancient Christians is wholly silent as to the use of any Forms amongst them though he contends for their Worshipping towards the East which custome when it was introduced is most uncertain but most certain that by many it was immoderately abused who expresly worshipped the Rising Sun of which abominable Idolatry among Christians Leo complains Serm. 7. De Nativitate Indeed the Cardinal ad An. 63. 12 17. faintly contends that some things in the Liturgy of James were composed by him because some passages and expressions of it are used by Cyril of Jerusalem in his Mistagog 5. But whereas Cyril lived not within the time limitted unto our Enquiry and those Treatises are justly suspected to be suppositions nor is the Testimony of that Liturgy once cited or mentioned by him the weakness of this insinuation is evident Yea it is most probable that whosoever was the Composer of that forged Liturgy he took those Passages out of those reputed Writings of Cyril which were known in the Church long before the name of the other was heard of I know no ground of expectation of the performance of that which as yet men have come short in namely in producing Testimonies for the use of such Liturgies as we are enquiring after considering the diligence ability and interest of those have been already engaged in that enquiry Now the silence of those who in all probability would have given an account of them had any such been in use in their dayes with the description they gave us of such a performance of the Worship of God in the Assemblies of Christians as is inconsistent with and exclusive of such prescribed Forms as we treat of is as full an evidence in this kind as our negative is capable of In those golden Fragments of Antiquity which we have preserved by Eusebius I mean the Epistles of the Church of Smyrna about the Martyrdome of Polycarpus and of the Churches of Vienna and Lyons concerning their Persecution we have not the least intimation of any such Forms of Service In
when it is enquired what the Church is that they intend there some are at a loss and would fain insinuate somewhat into our thoughts that they dare not openly assert and maintain The truth is the Church in this sense is the King or the King and Parliament by whose Advice he exerts his Legislitive Power By their Authority was the Liturgy Composed or it was Composed without Authority by their Authority it must be Imposed if it be Imposed what is or was done in the Preparation of it by others unto their judgement hath no more influence into the Authoritative imposition of it when the act of a Person learned in the Law drawing up a Bill for the Consideration of Parliament hath into its binding Law Power when confirmed In this sense we acknowledge the Power ordaining and imposing this Liturgy to be of God to be good and lawful to be obeyed unto the utmost extent of that Obedience which to man can be due and that upon the account of the Institution and Command of God himself But yet supposing the Liturgy to fall within the precincts and limits of that Obedience yet the observance and use of it being not Commanded of God is purely an act of Civil obedience and not Religious wherein the Conscience lies in no immediate subjection to Jesus Christ. It is of the same general nature with the honest discharge of the Office of a Constable and this seems in consistent with the nature of the Worship of God But whatever be the immediate imposing Power we have direction as to our duty in the last Injunction of our blessed Saviour to his Apostle Matth 28. 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded In things which concern the Worship of God the commanding Power is Christ and his Command the adaequate Rule and Measure of our Obedience The Teaching Commanding and enjoynâ—ng of others to do and observe those Commands is the duty of those entrusted with Christs Authority under him Their Commission to Teach and Enjoyn and our Duty to Do and Observe have the same Rules the same Measure Bounds and Limits What they teach and enjoyn beyond what Christ hath Commanded they do it not by vertue of any Commission from him what we do beyond what he hath Commanded we do it not in obedience to him what they so teach they do it in their own Name not his what we so do we do in our own strength not his nor to his Glory The Answer of Bellarmine to that Argument of the Protestant Divines from this place against the Impositions of his Church is the most weak and frivolous that I think ever any Learned man was forced to make use of and yet where to find better will not easily occurre Our Lord Jesus Christ saith Go and teach men to do and observe whatever I have commanded you and so I am with you To which he subjoynes It is true but yet we are bound also to obey them that are set over us that is our Church Guides and so leaves the Argument as sufficiently discharged Now the whole Question is concerning what those Church Guides may teach and enjoyâ— whereunto we are to give Obedience which is here â—â—presly restrained to the thingâ— Commanded by Christ to which the Cardinal offers not one word The things our Saviour treats about are principally the Agenda of the Gospel things to be done and observed in the Worship of God Of these as was said he makes his own Command the adaequate Rule and Measure Teach men to observe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all whatsoever I command in their so doing alone doth he promise his Presence with them that is to enable them unto the discharge of their duty He commands I say all that shall to the end of the World be called to serve him in the Work of the Gospel to teach In that Expression he compriseth their whole duty as their whole Authority is given them in this Commission In their Teaching indeed they are to command with all Authority and upon their non-obedience of men unto their teaching either by not receiving their word or by walking unworthy of it when it is received in the Profession of it he hath allotted them the course of their whole proceedings but still requiring that all be regulated by what they are originally commissionated and enabled to teach and command Let then the Imposition of a Liturgy be tryed by this Rule It was never by Christ Commanded to his Apostles cannot by any be taught as his Command and therefore men in the Teaching or Imposing of it have no promise of his Presence nor do they that observe it yield any obedience unto him therein This I am sure will be the Rule of Christs Enquiry at his great Visitation at the last Day the things which himself hath Commanded will be enquired after as to some mens Teachings and all mens Observation and those onely And I cannot but admire with what peace and satisfaction to their own Souls men can pretend to act as by Commission from Christ as the chief Administrators of his Gospel and Worship on the Earth and make it their whole business almost to teach men to do and observe what he never commanded and rigorously to enquire after and into the observation of their own commands whilest those of the Lord Jesus are openly neglected But let the Authority of men for Imposition be supposed to equal the fancy of any who through ignorance or interest are most devoted unto it when they come to put their Authority into execution commanding things in and about the Worship of God I desire to know by what Rule they are to proceed in their so doing All the actions of men are or ought to be Regular Good or evil they are as they answer to or dissent from their proper Rule The Rule in this matter must be the Word of God or their own Prudence Allow the former to be the Rule that is revealing what they ought to command and there is a total end of this Difference What a Rule the latter is like to prove is easie to Conjecture but there is no need of Conjectures where Experience interposeth The great Philosopher is blamed by some for inserting the determination of men Wise and Prudent into his definition of the Rule of Moral Vertue For they say that cannot be certainly known whose Rule and Measure is fluctuating and uncertain If there be ground for this Assertion in reference to Moral vertues whose Seed and Principles are in-laid in the nature of Man how much more is that Rule to be questioned when applied to things whose spring and foundation lies meerly in supernatural Revelation How various uncertain and tumultuating how roving this pretended Rule is like to prove how short it comes to any one single property of a sufficient Rule much more of all things that are necessary to compleat a Rule of Prorocecome in such cases were easie to demonstrate What good
Application of the Grace of Christ whereof they are Stewards to the Flocks committed to their Charge and that according to the especial state and condition of all especial wants which may any way be known unto them The way of their Application of this Grace lyes principally in the Administration of Gospel Ordinances Therein are they to declare unfold tender and apply the Grace of Christ according unto the wants of his Disciples the good of whose souls they watch for in particular These wants are very far from being the same and in the same degree in and unto every Congregation or unto any one Congregation at all times or unto all Persons in any Congregation which is easily discerned by a faithful and skilful Guide The especial Application then mentioned according to the Rule of the Gospel and special Addresses unto God in the Name of the Flock with respect to the especial wants of all or any of them belongs to that edification which Christ hath appointed for his Church Now how this duty can be attended unto in the observance of a prescribed Form of Liturgy from whence it is not lawful to digress is beyond my understanding to apprehend I confess men who scoffe at Edification and deride spiritual Gifts who thinks all Religion to consist in the Observation of some carnal Institution who neither know nor care to come to an acquaintance with the spiritual 〈◊〉 poor souls nor do tremble at the threatnings of Christ pointed against their negligence and ignorance Ezek. 34. 4. that suppose the whole Baptized World converted to God and Preaching its self on that account less necessary then formerly at the first Plantation of the Gospel that esteem the doubts and temptations of Believers as needless scruples and their sedulous endeavours to grow in Grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ labour lost in hypocrisie that perhaps do envy at and are troubled with the light and knowledge of the People of God and suppose they can discharge the Duty of the Ministry by a bare reading of the Service Book to their Parish by themselves or some Hired by them so to do without once enquiring into the spiritual Condition of them the care of whose souls they plead to be committed to them may think light of this Consideration but those who know the terrour of the Lord and any thing of their own Duty will be otherwise minded Yet farther There seems to be in the Imposition of a Liturgy to be used always as a Form in all Gospel Administrations an unwarrantable abridgement of their Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and therefore sin in the Imposition and Use of it For as it is a sin in others to abridge us of the Liberty purchased for us by Jesus Christ so it is in us to give it up and not to suffer in our Testimony for it Now of that Liberty purchased for us by Jesus Christ so far as it relates to the Worship of God there are two Parts First a freedome from those Paedagogical Institutions of God himself which by his own appointment were to continue onely to the time of Reformation Secondly A freedome from subjection to the Authority of men as to any new Impositions in or about the Worship of God 1 Cor. 7. 11. And the same Rule is given out as to our duty and deportment in reference unto both these Gal. 5 1. 1 Pet. 2. 16. Now not to stand fast in the Liberty for us purchased by Christ is not to have that esteem of it as a Priviledge given us by his Love as we ought to have not that sense of it as a duty enjoyned us by him which ought to be in us I say there is the same reason of both these in respect of Liberty As we are freed from Mosaical Institutions so that none can Impose the Observation of them upon us by vertue of their first Appointment so are we also from any succeeding Impositions of men Our Liberty equally respects the one and the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Institutions such was the tenderness of the Holy Ghost and the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ by his directions and guidance that they would not no not for a season enjoyn the observance of any of them no not of those which put men on no positive Duties but were meer abridgements in point of some practises upon the Disciples of Christ but onely such whose observation for that season was made necessary by reason of scandals and offences before any such Imposition of theirs Acts 15. nor by a purity of reason if regard be had to their Example can there any abridgement be lawfully made of the Liberty of Christs Disciples by any Imposition of things of the later sort unless it be as to the Observation of some such things as are made necessary in case of scandal antecedent unto any such Imposition We grant then that there may be yea there ought de facto to be an abridgement made of our Liberty as to the performance of some things at some times which in general we are made free unto where that performance in the use and exercise of our Liberty would prove an hindrance unto Edification the great End whereunto all these things are subservient But then the case must be so stated antecedent to any Imposition First to Impose that which is not necessary and then to assert a Necessity of its Observation least Scandal should ensue is a Course that men are not directed unto by any Gospel Rule or Apostolical practise The sum is that abridgement of the Liberty of the Disciples of Christ by Impositions on them of things which he hath not appointed nor made necessary by Circumstances antecedent unto such Impositions are plain Usurpations upon the Consciences of the Disciples of Christ destructive of the Liberty which he hath purchased for them and which if it be their duty to walk according to Gospel Rule is sinful to submit unto That of this nature is the Imposition of a Liturgy contended about is evident It hath no Institution or Appointment by Jesus Christ it is wholly of Men there is nothing antecedent unto its Imposition that should make it Necessary to be Imposed a Necessity of its Observation is induced upon and by its Imposition which is directly destructive to our Liberty in Jesus Christ. The Necessity pretended from the insufficiency of Ministers for the discharge of that which is their proper Work hath in grea◠〈◊〉 been caused by this Imposition and where it hath not some mens sin is not to be made other mens punishment Reasons pleaded for the Imposition Opposed shall be elsewhere Considered FINIS